Comic-Con LA: Where Fandoms Unite!

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This was my third time going to Comic-Con LA and I had a blast! It’s definitely the place to be if you love comics, artists, fandoms, and just want to have a fun weekend. There were so many incredible booths and amazing costumes! I even spied a Lady Oscar cosplay, but unfortunately didn’t manage to capture it in a photo. Hands down the best, costume for me was the girl who dressed as Dani in Ari Aster’s Midsommar. It was gorgeous and the girl herself gave me total Elle Fanning vibes (she should totally do a cosplay of Neon Demon or The Great!).

Hot Topic had the best Photo Op section, transforming a good portion of the Con into Nightmare Before Christmas graveyard. It was cute and very Tim Burton-like. However, I really missed Crypt TV being there! I really loved their promo materials and photo Op in the past. In fact, it seemed like this time there weren’t as many or as creative Photo Op areas in the Con, although I did think they had a lot more awesome shops and brands there. There was even a massage section where the masseuse was dressed as Geralt from The Witcher.

I also enjoyed the variety of food trucks they had at the Con. I ate lunch at Love Bird Fried Chicken, and I’m not joking when I say it was hands down the best fried chicken sandwich I ate in my life, ever. So props for that.

This time I stayed a lot longer at the Con than the previous years, so much so, that I ended up racking up 12,189 steps! Yes, I was completely dead the following day, just so ya know.

I didn’t find many comics I was interested in, and a lot of the horror comics were on the pricier side (maybe because they were vintage originals from the 70’s). But I was excited to have found the comic version of A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, because I am a HUGE fan of the movie and its vibes. I also was excited that I found a Candyman mug (not even a bad price $10!) and Emily the Strange Lipstick in Rebel Red.

All in all, it was a fun time, but I really hope that next year Crypt TV will be back, because there were very few horror peeps otherwise. But I’m looking forward to next year’s Comic-Con (by then I’ll be ready to walk another 12k steps!).

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Poetry: Smoke

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Photo by Denx arman on Pexels.com

Smoking with your aristocratic manner,

I gaze at your magnificence.

The world of tinted roses has become

Butterflies circle around you with divinity.

I fall into the moment

I fall into the mist

I fall into the mystery

I fall into you.

Smoking with your sophisticated manner,

I try to paint your face within my mind,

So that it remains milk fresh inside my adoring eyes.

I’m hiding beneath the smoke

That fogs this room.

I’m crawling beneath the smoke

To reach you.

I fall into this madness

I fall into the insane

I fall into you.

Smoking ever so seductively,

I’m trying to contain my runaway emotions

For I am afraid that they could harm you.

I’m hiding beneath the smoke

That fills this room.

I’m fading beneath the smoke

In order to reach you.

I fall to the ground

I fall to your feet

I keep on falling….

Falling into you.

***

Did you enjoy this poem? You can find this poem and many others in Bleed Like Me: Poems for the Broken

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Review: Kinship Mint Mud Deep Pore Detox Mask

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What It Is: Detoxifying and clarifying clay mask.

What It Does: Unclogs pores and balances oil.

Active Ingredients: Lactic Acid, Jojoba Oil Beads, and Mint.

Verdict: I’m a big fan of clay masks because having oily skin it’s the only type of mask that truly leaves my skin feeling refreshed and clean. I’ve been a recent fan of Kinship after falling in love with their Brightwave Eye Cream and I expected to love this product as well. This mask does an excellent job of unclogging and clearing pores – but also leaving one’s skin feeling refreshed but not dry. The mint really creates a pleasant sensation one that leaves skin feeling refreshed and invigorated. If you’ve been looking for a clay mask that will clear up your skin but not completely strip it away from its natural oils, then give this one a chance, you won’t regret it.

Price: $25

Where You Buy It: Ulta, Sephora, and https://lovekinship.com/

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Throwback Thursday: Cruel Intentions

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Fun fact: the first time I watched this film it was at an outdoor theatre sponsored by my local church (that year we had a hot young monk helping with the church’s fundraising and somehow got away with showing this film, The Ninth Gate, and Final Destination). Having said that, this movie was considered the hottest teen film at the time, as well as having one of the best soundtracks after Romeo + Juliet (and that one was hard to beat!).

The movie is a modern adaptation of the French novel, Dangerous Liaisons (a film was made in 1988 and now Starz recently did a series). So instead of being at a French court, Cruel Intentions bases itself on the lives of rich Manhattan kids, focusing on step-siblings Kathryn and Sebastian.

Kathryn is pissed off because her ex dumped her over the 4th of July weekend for a naive virgin, deeming her too “slutty” for him, and wants Sebastian to help her destroy her ex by corrupting his current girlfriend Cecile. But Sebastian, notorious for ruining the lives of young girls with his charm and sociopathic ways has his eyes set on virginal Annette. Kathryn wagers that he cannot seduce Annette and if she wins, she will get his retro Jaguar, however, if she were to lose, she alludes that she would be down to have anal sex – and thus the bet is made.

The movie opens with Placebo’s Every You, Every Me – and with lyrics such as, “Sucker love, I always find someone to bruise and leave behind,” it quickly captures the mood of this movie. Now, upon this second viewing (I never rewatched it after that time from the outdoor theatre) it’s pretty evident that Sarah Michelle Gellar (who played the manipulative Kathryn) essentially carried the movie with her boss girl ways, cold cruelty, and sensuality. Although every gal viewing this movie couldn’t help but to fall for Ryan Phillippe’s charming take on Sebastian. Rewatching the movie, I was quickly reminded of why at the time I didn’t find his character charming, and I soon realized upon my second viewing that the actor looked very similar to this guy from school (who yes was cute) but had this knack for always trying to pick me up or find ways to touch me that at the time I found annoying and borderline harassing.

The movie was massively successful, it earned $75 million out of a $10 million budget and at the time was one of the raciest teen films. Nowadays, we’re more used to series like Euphoria, so Cruel Intentions seems very tame in comparison, but overall, it’s still a fun movie and that’s mostly because of its talented cast and cool soundtrack (the best use of Bittersweet Symphony you’ll ever see onscreen). Some things are dated (such as gay shaming), but some things still speak true today (such as Kathryn’s frustration with having to keep up a fake facade in order to be liked because women get a bad rep when they admit to liking sex). Despite all the flashy fun that the movie delivers, it goes without saying that there are problematic moments such as homophobia, racial insensitivity, and downplaying sexual assault. It was a product of its time, but we shouldn’t overlook some of its problematic issues.

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Review: Tatcha The Water Cream

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What It Is: Hydrating and pore-minimizing cream.

What It Does: Hydrates oily skin without clogging pores.

Active Ingredients: Green Tea, Rice, Algae, Leopard Lily, and Wild Rose.

Verdict: This cream has been hyped so much, and usually when there’s too much hype it goes in two ways, either it’s overrated or the product actually really is that good. Having oily skin, it’s always hard to find a moisturizer that isn’t heavy, but at the same time isn’t watery too. This hydrating cream, despite its name, isn’t watery at all. It actually is very hydrating and rich but in a non-oily or heavy way, which is perfect for all of us that deal with oily skin and breakouts. I use it at night and wake up with nourished, moisturized skin in the morning. I recommend it if you have oily to combo skin that’s prone to breakouts.

Price: $69

Where To Buy It: https://www.sephora.com/ and https://www.tatcha.com/

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3 Symbols in NOPE and What They Mean

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The upright shoe.

When child star Jupe was on set for the sitcom Gordy’s Home, the titular chimp went berserk when a balloon pops causing havoc on set, killing and mauling the actors and staff from the show. During Gordy’s violent moment, Jupe and the camera focus on a white shoe that belonged to Jupe’s TV sister, standing upright with a tiny spot of blood. Later in life, we notice that he keeps this shoe in a memorabilia room. Some have mentioned that the upright shoe could be a manifestation of a bad miracle. However, I think the upright shoe is a symbol for the saying, “Waiting for the other shoe to drop,” and in a way, Jupe has lived his whole life waiting for the other shoe to drop, and when it does drop, this time he isn’t so lucky as he was in ’98.

Animal Abuse in the Film Industry.

The theme of animal abuse in Nope was extraordinarily evident from the very beginning when the movie starts with sound footage of a chimp, Gordy becoming violent during a filmed sitcom episode. Soon after, we notice the film industry being just as careless with the horse Lucky, on the set of a commercial, despite OJ basically begging the white cast and crew to be mindful of the animal and not to do anything that may startle it. But they didn’t listen to him, thus resulting in Lucky kicking out – and the director firing both the horse and his handler OJ. The film in a way wanted to show what happens when humans try to tame animals that aren’t meant to be tamed, and that in the end, their true nature will come out and the humans will suffer for their arrogance.

The Meaning behind FE1111.

Angel’s truck has a sticker with FE (standing for Fry’s Electronics) while 1111 is a reference to Jeremiah 11:11 famously referenced in Jordan Peele’s sophomore film US. The biblical reference is, “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will bring on them a disaster they cannot escape. Although they cry out to me, I will not listen to them.’” Meaning that God has no intention of saving man for something they brought upon themselves (usually caused by the human obsession with greed and power).

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Review: Popmask Starry Eyes

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What It Is: Self-heating eye mask

What It Does: Promotes relaxation and depuffs eyes.

Verdict: Cold compress masks never seem to work for me, and I always grab those that self-heat over any of those that are made to stick in the freezer. This mask not only helps you relax, but if you use it when you have a headache or head cold, it really helps alleviate the pain. I recently used this while having a headache and it really worked wonders. Not to mention that the heat was so cozy, that on a cold November day it really felt like a godsend. There isn’t a time limit for how long the warmth lasts, but for me, it actually lasted past an hour, enough time to relax and take an afternoon nap.

Bonus: Female-found and run brand, Cruelty-free, designed in London

Price: $20 (for a pack of 5)

Where To Buy It: Amazon and https://us.popmasklondon.com/

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Book Review: #thighgap by Chandler Morrison

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“Once he’s gone, I return to my mirror. It is my altar. My cheekbones, my xylophone ribs, my flat stomach, my thigh gap–these are my sacraments.”

PLOT SUMMARY:

Los Angeles fashion model Helen Troy wasn’t always skinny. Drastic weight loss has given her everything–money, confidence, attention, respect. Being thin has legitimized her, and starvation has become an addiction.

Following an encounter with a seemingly “perfect” rival model who destabilizes Helen’s shaky self-confidence and shatters her fragile illusion of control, she’s sent into a tragic tailspin that will take her to the lowest depths of hell. Nightmarish versions of herself begin materializing in mirrors, and her tried-and-true coping mechanisms stop working. Reality comes apart at the seams as Helen’s disease manifests in increasingly self-destructive fashions, forcing her to ask herself…

What does perfection look like, and how much would you sacrifice to obtain it?

GRADE: A

REVIEW:

We follow Helen Troy, a beautiful model living in Los Angeles in this dark novella that explores beauty and love. Helen used to be overweight, and the world despised her appearance when she was. Now – in her new emaciated and attractive body she is despised for her beauty and thinness but also adored for those very same reasons. Life is going great for her until she meets a thinner and prettier model at a photo shoot, which quickly has her derailed into obsessive perfectionism as she tries to become thinner and more beautiful. All this while she’s haunted by the images of her former self (a slug-like abomination) and her possible future (a corpse girl).

The author perfectly depicts the malaise and boredom of LA youth – where parties feel more like funerals and no one really sees you because they’re too busy scrolling their Instagram feed. The characters that inhabit this novella live in their sunglasses as though they wish to hide from the world and people around them because all that matters is youth and material possessions are the only way they feel fulfilled since even the sex depicted is lackluster and boring.

Helen’s descent is harrowing and dark – and not for the faint of heart.

Pick this up if you’re a fan of fatally flawed beautiful people en route to self-destruction.

*Thank you so much to Nightworms for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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Review: Tatcha The Rice Wash

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What It Is: A soft, cleansing wash for all skin types.

What It Does: Exfoliates in a non-abrasive way.

Active Ingredients: Japanese Rice Powder, Okinawa Algae Blend, and Hyaluronic Acid

Verdict: I’m picky when it comes to cleansers, but this one is really good. Not only does it leave your skin feeling hydrated after you wash it, but the gentle rice bits also help exfoliate the skin in a way that doesn’t leave your skin stripped. Many people love this brand and I was very excited to try it out since so many people have sung praises for their products. If you’re looking for a milk exfoliator or want a cleanser that won’t leave your skin feeling like the Sahara Desert, then this is your best bet.

Price: $38

Where To Buy It: Sephora and https://www.tatcha.com/

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Book Review: Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes by Eric LaRocca

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“What have you done today to deserve your eyes?”

PLOT SUMMARY:

A whirlpool of darkness churns at the heart of a macabre ballet between two lonely young women in an internet chat room in the early 2000s—a darkness that threatens to forever transform them once they finally succumb to their most horrific desires. 

A couple isolate themselves on a remote island in an attempt to recover from their teenage son’s death, when a mysterious young man knocks on their door during a storm…

And a man confronts his neighbour when he discovers a strange object in his back yard, only to be drawn into an ever-more dangerous game.

Three devastating, beautifully written horror stories from one of the genre’s most cutting-edge voices.

What have you done today to deserve your eyes?

GRADE: A

REVIEW:

I read the titular novella when it first came out and you can read my review of it here along with the author interview. This novella is what launched LaRocca’s writing career and with good merits, as it’s dark and seductive and with a bold ending.

The second story, “The Enchantment,” was absolutely riveting. A couple decides to live on a remote island after the death of their only son. One day they’re visited by a stranger and soon you’re left unsure whether he’s a harbinger of good or evil.

The third and final story, “You’ll Find It’s Like That All Over,” delves into the trouble one gets into when attempting to stay civil even when your gut tells you to leave because the circumstances feel so off. This was tense and very dark.

Overall, these tales explore the need for human connection in a way that is dark and fascinating but can also be deadly. I recommend this collection if you’re a reader of dark literature.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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